CASS COUNTY, Ind. (WTHR) — Police are investigating a fatal crash that killed two teenagers and injured six other people Friday night.
Cass County Sheriff Randy Pryor said the crash happened around 6 p.m. on U.S. 35 north of CR 200 North northwest of Logansport.
Investigators believe a vehicle traveling north on U.S. 35 slowed down, possibly to avoid a dog or other animal in the roadway. A northbound semi, driven by Jerry Williams, 58, LaCrosse, Indiana, swerved to avoid the vehicle and struck a southbound vehicle driven by Briana Ademi, 17, Monticello.
Two teenagers were ejected from the southbound vehicle and were pronounced dead at the scene. Pryor identified the victims as Anahi Garcia and Faith Dold, both 17 and from Monticello. Three other occupants of that vehicle were taken to the hospital with unidentified injuries. A mother and her two children in the northbound vehicle, Mandy Conley and Samuel Bollinger, 2, and Isiah Kuss, 13, all of Medaryville, were also taken to the hospital. The driver of the semi was not injured.
According to the Monticello Herald Journal, Garcia and Dold were students at Twin Lakes High School in Monticello. Early Saturday, the Twin Lakes School Corporation posted a photo of the school's logo surrounded by a heart and the hashtag #prayforTL to Facebook.
All lanes of U.S. 35 were closed in both directions following the crash as police investigated the scene.
Michael Galvin of Twin Lakes School Corporation released this statement on Facebook Saturday:
The Twin Lakes Family is heartbroken to lose two of our students last night in a tragic car accident. I cannot express the appreciation to our community for the outpouring of support and love last night to our students. We will again be offering counseling today from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at the Monticello Methodist Church. Please pray for the families and our staff and students as we go through this difficult time.
A youth community service will be held December 23 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the United Methodist Church sanctuary. Youth pastors will be available for the youth and Senior pastors will be available for parents.
